The Little Things Give You Away
Chapter 3

Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter! I hope you're enjoying this fic because I'm having a lot of fun writing it!
Please review! XxxxXxxx.


After scanning the televisions for something to watch for a few minutes, Gibbs gave up and headed for the bathroom.

"I think I'm going to turn in now." He said and Jenny nodded, her jet lag was catching up with her as well.

A few moments later, Gibbs reappeared from the bathroom wearing navy flannel pyjama bottoms and a grey NCIS t-shirt.

"It's all yours." He told Jen, who picked up her things and headed for the bathroom. As soon as she had locked the door behind her she began to undress. She wished she had packed more practical nightwear. Jenny liked to sleep in silk as it kept her cool during the night, she knew she would be going on an operation with another man but she had never expected that they would be sharing a room, let alone a bed. She washed her face and brushed her teeth, letting her hair out of it's tight knot at the back of her head and it fell to where it reached well passed her shoulders. Taking a deep breath she unlocked the bathroom door and headed back into the bedroom, Gibbs was already it bed, lying on his side when Jen crossed the room. She could feel him following her with his eyes, taking in what she was wearing. Jenny slipped under the covers and found that the bed was surprisingly comfortable and having Gibbs beside her wasn't necessarily a bad thing either.

"Goodnight Jethro," She said softly, turning over on her side so that she was facing away from him.

"Goodnight Jen," He said, still smiling as he settled down and let sleep wash over him.


When Gibbs awoke the next morning the space in the bed beside him was empty but he could see the intent from where Jenny's body had been laying until quite recently. From the bathroom he could hear the sound of running water and guessed that Jen was taking a shower. Gibbs threw back the covers and climbed out of bed, heading for the tea and coffee making equipment. Grumbling something about instant coffee, Gibbs turned the kettle on and made coffee for them both. The kettle boiled just as he heard the bathroom door open.

"I made you coffee." Gibbs said, not bothering to turn around.

"Thanks Jethro," Jenny replied gratefully, overly conscious of the fact that she was in a room with a man she barely knew wearing only a towel around her.

Gibbs took a sip of his coffee and went through to the bathroom without looking or speaking to her again, he could sense her discomfort. Jenny waited until she was sure that Gibbs was safely in the bathroom and the water was running before going to her suitcase and pulling out a casual black shirt and a pink top. When Gibbs emerged from the bathroom, Jenny was towelling her long red hair dry.

Suddenly a phone began to ring and Gibbs reached from his from the nightstand and passed it to Jenny.

"Can you answer it while I get dressed, please Jen?" He asked. She nodded and took the phone from him.

"Special Agent Shepard speaking." She answered, she listened to heavily accented voice as he spoke to her in English. "Okay Detective Louis, Agent Gibbs and I will be with you shortly."

"Who was it?" Gibbs asked when he reappeared, wearing jeans and a polo shirt.

"Detective Louis." Jenny answered, her voice grave. "A body has been found."


Jen and Gibbs were greeted by Detectives Louis and Maral when they reached the Paris police headquarters and after exchanging pleasantries the two NCIS agents were led down to the morgue. After what seemed like an eternal climb the four of them emerged at the morgue. The air was cold and sterile down here, a contrast to the temperature outside, and Jen wished she had brought a jacket or a cardigan. She wrapped her arms around herself and brought up the rear of the party as they headed for one of examination rooms. Maral introduced Jenny and Gibbs to the pathologist who spoke very little English but opened the drawer for them and showed them the body lying there.

"Meet Marie Denver." Maral said quietly.

There was no doubt that this was the missing girl and although it was a sad situation, it only made Jenny more keyed up to catch the scumbag behind this.

"You'll have him sent to the NCIS pathologist Doctor Mallard, I trust." Jenny said, keeping her voice low too out of respect.

Maral nodded. "But we have adequate facilities here to carry out the autopsy."

Jenny and Gibbs shared a look. Donald 'Ducky' Mallard had carried out the autopsies on Chrissie Parker, Mia Peacock and Julie Graham so it seemed right that he should be in charge of the Marie Denver case too.

"Where was Marie found?" Gibbs asked as they made the long journey back up to ground level from what felt like the centre of the earth.

"A man and his wife who are here on holiday got lost and found her body down one of the side streets." Louis explained.

Gibbs nodded. "Do you think the same person is responsible?"

Louis gave him a sideways glance. "Do you?"

Before he replied, Gibbs looked across at Jen who had been silent for a while.

"What do you think, Agent Shepard?" He asked.

Jenny looked surprised but recovered in a second.

"I think so." She said, clearing her throat and gaining in confidence. "I mean, if the M.O. matches Laurie Rousseau and the girls murdered in America it is more than likely that the same perpetrator killed Marie Denver too."

Louis nodded. "Yes Agent Shepard, that is what we think."

As soon as the body of Marie Denver was sent to Ducky for an autopsy they would have more solid answers.


That afternoon Jenny and Gibbs were hunting through file systems of people who had applied for a visa to live in France going back over the last few months. It was tiring work and the room they were using had no air conditioning, although the windows were open the day was hot and still with no breeze blowing.

"Coffee?" Gibbs suggested, looking up from a stack of papers while Jenny scanned the computer screen, her chin resting in her hand.

Jen looked around at him. "Jethro, it's like a furnace outside not to mention in here, how can you possibly drink coffee?"

"It helps." He said. "Trust me."

Jen cracked a small smile. "Okay then, white one…"

"Sugar?"

Jen's smile broadened. "Thanks, Jethro." She said, turning back to her work as her partner left the room.

When Gibbs returned a few minutes later with two steaming polystyrene cups of coffee he found Jenny grinning at him and looking very pleased with herself.

"I think I might be onto something!" She said, taking the coffee from him gratefully.

Gibbs bent over so he could study the computer screen.

"Gary King?" He read.

Jen nodded enthusiastically. "Yup. He applied for a visa on the 13th February of this year and it was granted on the 1st July."

"He fits the time frame." Gibbs agreed.

"He's the only one who does. He was an American citizen and lived just outside of Washington DC, all of the American victims went missing from the surrounding area."

Gibbs placed a hand on Jen's shoulder. "I think you might be onto something there."


Later that afternoon, Jenny and Gibbs tracked down Maral and Louis and told them what they had found on Gary King. The two French detectives thanked them for their hard work and told them that they would begin a hunt for King as soon as they could; they didn't want another murdered girl on their conscience.

"Do you fancy going for a drink somewhere, Jen?" Gibbs asked as they exited the police building and stepped out into the early evening. It was cooler now but some of the heat still remained and their wasn't a cloud in the sky.

"Jethro, we're meant to be working!" Jen laughed.

"We have been, all day. We deserve some time out, don't we?"

Jen laughed. "Come on then, I could do with a drink after the day we've had."

Gibbs agreed, leading the way to the nearest bar.